In an astonishing display of the awesome power of the natural world an American director has captured footage of the largest iceberg break-up to ever be filmed break off from Greenland.

The video from the director James Balog shows approximately 7.4 cubic kilometres of ice separating from Greenland's Illulissat glacier into the open seas - an event the director compares to watching 'Manhattan breaking apart in front of your eyes.'

Shot over 75 phenomenal and captivating minutes by 25 time-lapse cameras around the glacier, the footage shows towering chunks of ice splitting off and shooting up in the air, all the while accompanied by a terrific moaning roar.

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James Balog and his team suddenly notice that the ice is giving way along the edge of the enormous iceberg

'The cavern face was 300, sometimes 400 foot tall,' said Mr Balog of the clip which forms part of his documentary 'Chasing Ice' which is an Oscar contender for best documentary early next year.

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'Pieces of ice were shooting out from the ocean, 600 feet and then falling.'

The ice begins to break up as approximately 7.4 cubic kilometres of ice separates from Greenland's Illulissat glacier

Huge swathes of ice roll over each other as the immense power of the breakup is witnessed

As the break-up gathers speed the ice rises to heights of up to 600-feet - to the sound of a deafening roar

The filmmaker camped out in the freezing cold for weeks to capture the thunderous event as the 4.6 cubic mile glacier separated from the mainland of Greenland.

Frustrated by what he believes is the American public's refusal to accept any evidence of climate change, Mr. Balog set out to visually document the impact on the world's glaciers.

Studies have shown that Greenland is shedding ice at the incredible pace of 142 billion tons per year and in 'Chasing Ice', Mr. Balog documents his sometimes harrowing to make his fellow American see for themselves.

The filmaker camped out in the freezing cold for weeks to capture the thunderous event

Frustrated by what he believes is the American public's refusal to accept any evidence of climate change, Mr. Balog set out to visually document the impact on the world's glaciers

Filmmaker James Balog filmed 7.4 cubic km of ice crashing off the Ilulissat glacier in Greenland for his documentary 'Chasing Ice'

According to a study published in the journal 'Science' more than four trillion tons of ice from Greenland and Antarctica has melted over the past 20-years - causing sea levels to significantly rise.

Originally a climate change skeptic, Mr. Balog became fascinated with icebergs after he was sent north on assignment to photograph receding glaciers.

Inspired, he spent the next seven years chasing icebergs in Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Iceland and his film Chasing Ice won the award for best documentary at the Sundance Film Festival and is now shortlisted for an Academy Award.